


... And in Health

by lasairfhiona



Series: Blessing in Disguise [5]
Category: West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-20
Updated: 2012-01-20
Packaged: 2017-10-29 20:55:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/324079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lasairfhiona/pseuds/lasairfhiona





	... And in Health

Leo sat back in his chair. They were voting in Hartsfield Landing at this moment. The issue with China was resolved mostly to everyone's satisfaction. Now he was ready to go home. Only home wasn't as warm and welcoming as it had been just a few days ago. Nor was it as much of a home as it had been for ten short days. He found it almost funny how he'd gotten use to being alone after Jenny left then *she* barged into his life and things changed. Being alone wasn't okay anymore -- it was lonely. She had returned to her apartment three days ago after being given a clean bill of health by Abbey and her doctors. Two days ago she'd returned to work and he found that just because they worked at the same place it didn't necessarily mean they would see one another. In fact, he hadn't even had a chance to talk to her since the morning he kissed her goodbye and she went back to her place.

Picking up the phone he used the quiet moment to call her.

"Hello..."

He couldn't stop the smile when he finally heard her sleepy voice. "Did I wake you?"

"Yes, but that's okay. I fell asleep on the sofa. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," Leo answered. "I just wanted to check up on you," he added hoping she would read between the lines of what he was saying, especially since he couldn't really talk from his office, unless he wanted the whole world to know.

"I miss you too."

"Yeah," he said with a smile. "We should make some plans."

"I agree. Soon?"

"Yeah. This weekend?" With Jed back he could make plans as long as the world didn't fall apart between now and then.

"If not sooner."

"Yeah," Leo agreed with a grin. Sooner was definitely better and just as he was about to tell her that he heard a racket coming from Communications even through the doors. "Sounds like Hartsfield just came in I better go and see what all the racket is."

"Take care."

"You too," he said softly then hung up the phone. He hated to say goodbye but he needed to find out what was going on with Hartsfield and just who the new president would be.

~*~*~*~*~

It had taken him another two hours to get out of the White House. Part of him thought he should just stay and sleep on his sofa since he'd have to be back in a few hours. The other part of him wanted to go home where there were at least still traces of Ainsley left. Her scent was still on his pillow, as well as the few belongings she'd left behind. The latter part was the part that won and as soon as he walked into his apartment, he was very glad he'd come home.

The scent of vanilla candles lingered even though the room was dark. Ainsley had been here and most likely still was. Flipping on the small lamp, he noticed the sofa was empty and his heart sank a little. While she was staying with him, no matter how many times he told her to go to bed, she always slept on the sofa until he got home. He shucked his overcoat and loosened his tie. Pulling the silk from around his neck, he laid it and his suit jacket over the back of the easy chair.

Heading toward the bedroom, he started to pull his suspenders from his shoulders. He never got the second one off his shoulder. The sight greeting him as he walked into his bedroom, stopped him in his tracks. Ainsley was curled up on the bed, 'Leo the leopard' clutched in her arms and again wearing one of his shirts. Her blonde hair spread out on the pillow and covered her face like a lace shawl.

"Ainsley." Her name came out a breathless whisper.

She stirred when she heard her name. Sitting up, the blanket she'd pulled over herself slid down, revealing how much his shirt had ridden up her body. "Leo," she said smiling when she saw him standing in the doorway.

"I didn't expect to see you. But I'm glad you're here," he admitted.

"Call forwarding. I've been here all along," she said with a grin.

Crossing the room, he sat on the edge of the bed. Unable to resist the call of her sitting here, so beautiful in her half asleep state, he ran his hand up her bare thigh and around under her shirt to the small of her back. "I've missed you," he whispered finally able to say what he couldn't in his office. He urged her closer so he could kiss her.

"Oh," she sighed as his lips met hers. Their kiss started out tender and gentle but quickly turned passionate as she scooted closer. His hands caressed up her back as they kissed and when they parted, she rested her head on his shoulder.

He pulled back when he felt her body tremble and the tears fall against his neck. "What's wrong?" he asked, cupping her chin so he could look at her.

"This scares me," she said motioning between the two of them.

"What?" he asked, not sure where she was going with her comment.

Running her hands down the front of his shirt, she watched as she soothed down the wrinkles then taking a deep breath she answered, "What I feel for you. How much I care about you after such a short time," she paused then added with an almost ironic chuckle. "And it's not even a case of confusing emotion and great sex because we haven't even made love."

"Does that matter?" he asked, grasping her hands in his.

"Not having made love?" she asked wanting to make sure they were on the same page. When she saw his nod she replied, "No, it doesn't matter. I enjoy being with you, sharing things with you." She hugged him, holding him tight.

"You know what scares me," he said burying his face in the nape of her neck.

"What?" she encouraged, pulling back to look at him, refusing to let him hide from her.

"My age. My baggage," he answered simply.

She caressed one cheek, then leaned in to give him a soft kiss before choosing to address the second issue first. "I know about your baggage. I've seen your desire for a drink. I've seen you fight the craving and I've been here with you while you do. I've seen you stand up and face condemnation because of the addictions," she told him determined to make him understand his baggage wouldn't scare her away.

"And my age?"

"Your age doesn't matter to me. My fear is that you will wake up some morning and realise I'm too young for you," she admitted quietly, letting her hand drop and looking away.

"Not a chance. I fought my feelings for you for too long for this to be a midlife crisis. Abbey saw through me and gave me a good talking to and even after that it still took me a while to admit I was ready to act on them," he told her admitting for the first time Abbey Bartlet's knowledge of their feelings for one another.

"Mrs. Bartlet knows?" Ainsley asked, surprised and suddenly very nervous that the First Lady knew about them, whatever they were.

"Yeah," Leo answered, running his hands down her arms. "Don't panic. She thinks you're good for me," he finished with a smile.

Smiling, she reached back up and caressed his cheek again. "I'm good for you, huh?"

Catching her hand, he kissed her palm. "Yes. You are. You make me forget I'm twice your age. You make me forget my fear that I won't be able to satisfy you...," he admitted, his voice getting considerably softer until it trailed off. He wasn't used to admitting his fears to anyone, although he should be use to admitting things to her by now. He'd told her things he never told anyone else.

Smiling, she leaned forward and kissed him lightly. "You silly man. Don't you get it? Making love will be the icing to what we already have. We had ten days together. Ten days of sleeping in each other's arms. Ten days of watching movies, cooking dinner and doing things couples do every day except making love. I went home but home didn't feel like home anymore because you weren't there to share things with. Being here. Being with you that's what make me happy, that's what satisfies me."

"Oh Ainsley," he whispered, pulling her to him and holding her close as a wave of emotion filled him. He'd thought this kind of happiness was out of his reach after Jenny, until she came along and turned his world upside down.

Barely managing to supress a groan from a spasm shooting through his back due to the awkward position, Leo pulled back a bit. 'Why don't we continue this in bed where it's more comfortable," he suggested.

Ainsley nodded watching as he stood and started to undress. She had to wonder when her picture of the man she could spend her life with changed. Leo, with his thinning, greying hair, middle age paunch that wouldn't go away no matter how fit he was, definitely wasn't the image she'd had in her head since she discovered the opposite sex. But not even that mattered to her anymore. What mattered was the man she found inside the façade of Leo McGarry, Chief of Staff.

He came to bed wearing the pajama bottoms to the flannel pajamas he'd bought her. They had, by some unspoken agreement, decided he would wear the bottoms and she the tops. When he was settled into his spot, he pulled her against him, letting her head rest on his shoulder and her leg intertwine with his. "Where were we?" he asked once they were both settled.

"Talking about our age differences," Ainsley answered.

"Yeah..." he sighed. "It doesn't bother you that I don't have a young man's stamina? That it will take me longer..." he tried to ask delicately without getting unnecessarily crude.

"No, it doesn't bother me," she told him confidently. "Leo, I like sex. I like making love with someone I care about. I shouldn't have to tell you that making love isn't always about intercourse. It's about pleasing each other, making each other feel good, and being here in your arms makes me feel good." She leaned closer and gently kissed him.

"How did I get so lucky?" he asked quietly. He didn't know what brought her into his life, nor did he know what forces brought them together the night he needed someone - her - to be there.

Snuggling as close as she could possibly get, she answered his quiet musings, "I don't know. I have often asked the same question. Although it still amazes me Mrs. Bartlet saw. How?" she commented changing tracks in one breath.

Leo smiled. "Apparently she saw us in December. She saw what we were both denying - or maybe I was denying. How? Well, she knows me. She and Jed were together when I met them and she was there when I met Jenny. She watched us fall in love. She knows I don't play around. Even when I was drunk ninety percent of the time, Jenny was the only woman for me."

"What about now?" Ainsley asked, interrupting him. "What is Jenny to you now?" She needed to know how his ex-wife fit into the equation now. It hadn't been but a year or so since his divorce was finalized.

With one arm wrapped around her and his other hand combing through her long hair, he told her about his ex-wife. "I loved her. Even when I was so drunk I couldn't remember *where* home was or said mean and hateful things, I still loved her. The alcohol twisted things and sometime over the years we stopped being 'in love' with one another. When that changed no matter what we did or how much we loved each other, we lost sight of what was important to the other," he finished with a sigh.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, kissing his shoulder.

"Don't be. The campaign and my job were the final straw and after thirty years, Jenny and I have finally stopped hurting each other," he admitted with regret then leaned down and kissed the top of her head. He was almost afraid to say what he had to tell her next. "You have to understand, Ainsley, this time with Jed Bartlet in the White House is important to me. It cost me Jenny. I hope it doesn't cost me you too." When he finished his voice was barely above a whisper.

She scooted over until she was lying on top of him, kissing him gently, she whispered against his lips, "If you don't want it to, it won't. Remember where I work too. I'm not going to pretend it'll be easy, because it probably won't be but if we know that going in..."

"Yeah," he sighed, holding her against him, enjoying the feel of her weight pressing down on him. "So what do we do now?"

"We spend as much time together as our jobs allow," she suggested, kissing his nose.

"Where?" he asked as she caressed her back, pushing her shirt further upward.

"Here. My place. Where ever we can," she answered, this time kissing his chin.

Rolling them over, he looked down at her and began to rain gentle kisses along the edge of her cheek. "I like the sound of that. I like the idea of beginning and ending my day in your arms," he whispered as he paused to nibble on her ear.

"Mmm..." was her only response and Leo wasn't totally sure if it was in response to what he said or what he was doing to her. Her fingers clenched on his back as he kissed along her collarbone and down the open V of her shirt.

"Leo!" she cried as he parted the shirt and continued to kiss her chest.

"Yeah?" he answered, his own voice thick.

"If you keep that up I'll have to change my mind about not caring if we make love or not," she gasped arching her body into his and clasping his back as he settled between her legs.

"I wouldn't be opposed," he commented as he undid a button and kissed the newly exposed skin.

Running her hands up his back, she caressed his neck, combing her fingers through the thick hair at the base of his head. "Mmm... Good," she whispered bringing his head up so she could kiss him. The kiss was deep and tender. Their tongues danced as they tasted one another. Her hands caressed up and down his back, grasping his hips holding them in place as she arched her body against his.

The time for spoken words was over. Instead they spoke with their hands and mouths on each other. Her moans and gasps directed him as he unbuttoned her shirt and kissed his way down her body. He flicked his tongue across her nipple, enjoying her gasp and even more enjoying her ragged moan as he sucked it into his mouth. He spent equal time with each breast, kneading one with his hand and he suckled and nipped at the other before switching. Sweat pooled between her breast, mixing with her perfume. He loved her scent. He loved how it clung to the sheets and shirts she borrowed from his closet. Nuzzling the spot between her breasts, he inhaled deeply before continuing downward.

Her body tingled everywhere he touched and kissed her. She was torn between the feel of his soft moist mouth on her and the gentle pressure of his hands as he kneaded and caressed her body. She didn't know if she wanted to pull him up or push him further down so she could feel the heat of his mouth between her legs. Chanting his name, she finally pulled him upward so she could kiss him. When they parted, she wrapped her arms and legs around him and rolled them over.

Straddling him, she began her slow descent down his body. Using his moans and gasps of pleasure, as he had hers, she found his most sensitive spots. She learned he could purr almost like a cat when she combed her fingers through his chest hair. She also learned his nipples were as sensitive as hers. And when she reached the waistband of his pajamas, she slowly lowered them kissing his hipbone. Learning at the same time how soft his skin was there and how her touch made him squirm and gasp in pleasure. She quickly divested him of his pants and settling back down on his legs she caressed up and down his thighs, feeling the crisp hair under hand hands. Leaning forward she let her long hair tickle his groin and abdomen.

The feel of her hair dragging over his skin caused him to shiver. It was like spun silk dragging over his hot skin, cooling and inflaming at the same time. Leo knew if he were to die at that moment he'd die a happy man. "Ainsley," he gasped when he felt her mouth on him and as she continued he called her name again. "Ainsley." Holding her still, he told her in a raspy voice, "If you keep that up it will be over before we can continue." When she settled on his chest again he rolled them over and settled between her legs.

"Oh god," he groaned, resting his forehead on her chest.

"Leo?" she questioned, almost panicked by the desperate tone of his voice.

"Birth control. I don't have a thing." It had been a long time since he'd been with anyone and even longer since he'd had to worry about a contraceptive.

She laughed and pulled him closer so he laid his full weight on her. "It's safe. The pill," she told him using as few words as possible. She seriously doubted she could have strung a sentence together if she tried.

"Thank God," he whispered, raising up slightly to slip a hand between their bodies to make sure she was ready for him. Positioning himself, he slid into her warm depths, their moans of pleasure at the joining muffled by their kiss. He knew as he felt her body embrace him, he'd come home. Home for the first time in his adult sober life.

He loved the feel of her body gripping him as he slowly moved in and out of her. He felt her legs wrap around his hips and her hands caress along his back. He kissed her, mixing soft gentle kisses with hard demanding ones. Pulling a hand from where it was intertwined in her hair, he slipped it back down between their bodies to give her more stimulation. She bucked against his hand, encouraging him to take her harder and faster until he was driving in and out of her, setting a pace that would rapidly drive them to the completion they sought.

The closer she got to her climax, the tighter she held on to him and as she came, she cried out his name, clutching at his hips, trying to pull him into her harder and faster. As her body spasmed around him, Leo followed her encouragement and drove into her until he too cried out his climax with a low raspy groan.

She held him against her, caressing his back and sides, as he caught his breath and his body stopped twitching. He tried to roll off her, claiming he was too heavy but she enjoyed the feel of him on top of her and in her. And when he softened and slid form her body, she felt a great emptiness because they were no longer joined. Her whimper of disappointment caused him to look up at her.

"Are you okay?" he asked reaching up to caress her cheek.

Ainsley smiled. "More than okay," she reassured him, her hand still lazily caressing his back. With a laugh she added, "You never have to worry about satisfying me..."

"Trust you to remember that *now*," he commented joining in her quiet laughter. He rolled them until they were lying on their sides facing each other. They continued to touch and caress each other not wanting the moment to end. She'd reminded him how loving someone could be fun.

"I have an excellent memory," she informed him, teasingly. Then with both hands she reached out and cupped his face. "You will never be 'too old' for me. You will never *not* satisfy me. I already know all about your baggage and I didn't run when you were having a bad time. So there is nothing else to use as an excuse for us not working," she told him determined he understand she was in this for keeps.

"Okay then," he said pulling her against him and rolling until he laid on his back and she was curled against him, unable to think of anything to refute her declaration. Maybe she was right. Maybe they would work. Stranger things had been known to happen. They had already made it through her being sick, now they just had to make it work while they were healthy.


End file.
